Director, PGIHS, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Dr. Wasantha Athukorala is a distinguished economist and academic, currently serving as the Director of the Postgraduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences (PGIHS) at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. With a career spanning over two decades, Dr. Athukorala has made significant contributions to economics, particularly in agricultural economics, environmental economics, and development studies. He holds a PhD in Economics from Queensland University of Technology, Australia, and has held various teaching and research positions at both national and international institutions. His research addresses vital issues such as irrigation, farm production, energy demand, and climate change, with a focus on empirical analysis. A highly cited researcher, Dr. Athukorala has earned numerous national and international awards, including being ranked the 2nd best economist in Sri Lanka. His contributions have shaped academic thought and policy in Sri Lanka and beyond.
Profile
Education
Dr. Wasantha Athukorala’s educational journey reflects his commitment to advancing economic research and knowledge. He earned his PhD in Economics from Queensland University of Technology, Australia (2007-2011), with a thesis titled Essays on Irrigation Development, Farm Production, and Unaccounted Costs: Theory and Empirical Evidence. His academic excellence was recognized when his thesis was nominated for an Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Award. Prior to this, he completed an M.Phil. in Agricultural Economics at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka (2001-2004), focusing on Estimation of Household Demand for Electricity in Sri Lanka. He also holds a B.A. First Class (Honours) Degree in Economics from the University of Peradeniya (1996-2000), with a thesis on Profitability and Comparative Advantages of the Rice Growing Sector in Sri Lanka. Dr. Athukorala’s academic training laid the foundation for his substantial contributions to economics and development studies.
Awards and Honors
Dr. Wasantha Athukorala’s outstanding academic achievements have earned him numerous prestigious awards and honors. He received the Presidential Award for Scientific Research in 2023, recognizing his substantial contributions to the advancement of knowledge in economics. In 2021, he was ranked as the 2nd best economist in Sri Lanka by the AD Scientific Index. Dr. Athukorala has also been awarded the Tier 4* Lifetime Researcher Award in 2022 for his consistent and impactful research output. His work has garnered national recognition, including the National Research Council (NRC) Merit Award for Scientific Publication in 2014. Dr. Athukorala’s dedication to research excellence has also been acknowledged with NCAS Awards for Research in Higher Education in 2006. As a Visiting Fellow at Queensland University of Technology in 2017, he further solidified his reputation as a globally recognized scholar in the field of economics.
Research Focus
Dr. Wasantha Athukorala’s research spans several critical areas of economics, with a particular emphasis on agricultural economics, environmental economics, and development studies. His work explores the complexities of irrigation development, farm production, and the unaccounted costs associated with these sectors, providing valuable empirical evidence for policymakers and practitioners. His studies have focused on the economic implications of climate change, energy demand, and environmental sustainability, with a specific interest in the socio-economic effects of natural disasters, water demand, and energy pricing policies. Additionally, Dr. Athukorala’s research on the economic impacts of foreign direct investment, agricultural efficiency, and the distributional effects of privatization in developing countries showcases his commitment to addressing real-world economic challenges. He has contributed significantly to the understanding of market distortions, energy policy, and public goods, influencing both academic discourse and policy decisions in Sri Lanka and internationally.
Publications
- The impact of foreign direct investment for economic growth: A case study in Sri Lanka 📊
- Estimating short and long-term residential demand for electricity: New evidence from Sri Lanka ⚡
- Do monetary and non-monetary incentives influence environmental attitudes and behavior? Evidence from an experimental analysis 🌍
- Reality check: the distributional impact of privatization in developing countries 💼
- Determinants of health costs due to farmers’ exposure to pesticides: an empirical analysis 🚜
- Climate change and natural disasters: Government mitigation activities and public property demand response 🌪️
- A GIS based spatial decision support system for analysing residential water demand: A case study in Australia 💧
- Household demand for electricity: The role of market distortions and prices in competition policy 💡
- The impact of foreign direct investment on economic growth in Sri Lanka 📈
- The impact of mining and smelting activities on property values: A study of Mount Isa city, Queensland, Australia 🏞️
- Impact of wildfires and floods on property values: A before and after analysis 🔥
- Measuring the impact of pesticide exposure on farmers’ health and farm productivity 🌾
- Valuing bushfire risk to homeowners: Hedonic property values study in Queensland, Australia 🔥
- Effectiveness of two pricing structures on urban water use and conservation: A quasi-experimental investigation 💧
- Non-discretionary residential water use: The impact of habits and water-efficient technologies 🏠
- Assessing privatization in Sri Lanka: Distribution and governance 📊
- Identifying the role of agricultural extension services in improving technical efficiency in the paddy farming sector in Sri Lanka 🌾
- Willingness to pay to ensure a continuous water supply with minimum restrictions 🚰
- Groundwater overuse and farm-level technical inefficiency: Evidence from Sri Lanka 🌍
- Emergency teaching–learning methods (Etlm) during COVID-19: Lessons learned from Sri Lanka 📚